The No Means No Show (NMNS) is a comedy show for teenagers about sex, consent and respectful relationships and is part of Nelly's suite of Health Promotion Shows.

Nelly developed the show in 2003 with CASA House (Centre Against Sexual Assault) at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne and since then it has played to thousands of teenagers. The show has been extensively and professionally evaluated with terrific results.

Unfortunately, the No Means No Show is not currently touring. However, Nelly is available to speak about the show and sometimes performs short excerpts from it.

The Show

The principal aim of the show is to raise awareness of rights and responsibilities in sexual encounters and to empower young people to have healthy and happy sexual relationships when they are ready and old enough.

It does not encourage sexual activity but it is sex positive and presents healthy sexuality as a positive part of life.

The show uses a lot of humour and with respectful and sensitive role-plays, songs and stand-up comedy it explores common scenarios, social situations and myths about sexual relationships and sexual assault. It also provides advice and information about what one might do and where to go for help if things go wrong. It has been highly acclaimed by health professionals and students alike.

The show plays separately for boys and girls and there is also an Indigenous version.

"We were thrilled to have Nelly perform at our ASHE Opening Day. She just has this relaxed way of connecting with young people that makes them comfortable to engage around what is a pretty delicate but really important issue. Hopefully this is not the last we see of Nelly. Her No Means No sidekick, Isaac Drandich, was fantastic too." Phillip Guthrie, Manager - Academy of Sport, Health and Education

"On behalf of Marie Stopes Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program (SNAKE Condoms), we would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for participating in the recent SNAKE Forum: Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. It was a truly inspiring event, and since its finish we have already received many reports back from community about how greatly empowered and stronger the women have returned... Your ‘No Means No’ excerpts session was actually mentioned as being one of the most useful and enjoyable of the whole Forum! Thank you again for the magic you brought to the Forum, and we very much look forward to working with you again in the future." Bev Greet, Manager Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HealthMarie Stopes International Australia www.mariestopes.org.au

EVALUATIONS

Audience Evaluation comments from students who have attended the No Means No Show (source, RWH):

"It was fantastic. Should be more things like this."

"Better than sex education any day."

"It was funny and honest. They didn't try and hide anything from us."

"I like the fact that they are showing us ... that our bodies are ours."

"They are not afraid to tell us how it is. They were not treating us like idiots."

"I have learnt to say no if you're not ready and to stick up for myself."

"You want me cos I'm so damn fine, but back off, my body's mine!"

"I have learnt that it is never your fault when you get sexually assaulted."

"The comedy loosened things up even though we were discussing such an important subject."